Gusset

ABSTRACT

A gusset for fastening the corners of hollow frame doors, in a manner so as to prevent opening of the miter joint, comprising a generally right triangular base plate having peripherally upstanding flanges terminating substantially at right angles to the base plate and extending along the angularly related sides and the hypotenuse, each side flange including an end portion extending lineally beyond the hypotenuse and both ends of the hypotenuse flange being provided with extending flanges which are contoured angularly to overlie the extended side flange portions, when the gusset is inserted in place within the door, fasteners extending through the top and side rails of the door engage in the respective extending hypotenuse portions to draw the miter joint tight.

Moore, Sr.

[ June 25, 1974 1 GUSSET [76] Inventor: John J. Moore, Sr., P.O. Box686,

Marathon, Fla. 33935 [22] Filed: Jan. 27, 1972 [2]] Appl. No.: 221,138

[52] U.S. CI 287/189.36 H, 52/475, 52/665 [51] Int. Cl E04b 1/38 [58]Field of Search 52/655, 656, 657, 475,

52/476, 665, 721, 637, 638, 634, 603; 287/l89.36 H, 20.92 D; 248/222,247, 248, 300; 211/135, 182

[ 56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,468,813 9/1923 Huff248/247 1 2,067,727 1/1937 Peister.... 287/2092 D 2,588,818 3/1952Franks r. 287/18936 H 2,938,759 5/1961 Mutchnik et al. 248/188 2,972,3962/1961 Minick 287/l89.36 H 2/1967 Heywood 287/189.36 H

3,440,787 4/1969 Bataille 52/603 X Primary Examiner-Henry C. SutherlandAssistant ExaminerCarl D. Friedman 5 7] ABSTRACT A gusset for fasteningthe corners of hollow frame doors, in a manner so as to prevent openingof the miter joint, comprising a generally right triangular base platehaving peripherally upstanding flanges terminating substantially atright angles to the base plate and extending along the angularly relatedsides and the hypotenuse, each side flange including an end portionextending lineally beyond the hypotenuse and both ends of the hypotenuseflange being provided with extending flanges which are contouredangularly to overlie the extended side flange portions, when the gussetis inserted in place within the door, fasteners extending through thetop and side rails of the door engage in the respective extendinghypotenuse portions to draw the miter joint tight.

1 Claim, 5 Drawing Figures GUSSE'I STATEIOF THE PRIOR ART Most comergussets presently in use for fastening the corners of hollow frame doorsare generally formed of a right angular base plate with upstandingflanges along the outside and inside edges thereof to form a generallyright angular channel. This construction provides no connection betweenthe outside and inside flanges other than the base plate which liesalong one inside face of the door frame. Consequently, the miter jointsat the comers often open to varying degrees because the relatively thinbase plate receives most of the forces to which a door is subjected whenin use.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION Hollow frame doors such as screendoors are comprised of parallel top and bottom rails and parallel siderails, miter joints being provided at the corners to join the respectiverails. The various rails are hollow and are generally rectangular incross section. It is common practice to join the mitered comers by meansof angular gussets disposed within the hollow rails and, obviously, adoor of this type is only as rigid at the comer joints as the gussetswhich form the connection between the rails. Various forces created bythe stresses and strains imposed on the door from its own weight as wellas from usage often flex, bend or twist the gussets,

' resulting in the openings of one or more of the miter joints.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide agusset for joining the miter joints which provides the necessaryrigidity and strength to prevent the miter joints from opening up.

It is a further object to provide a gusset comprised of a generallyright triangular base plate having peripherally upstanding flanges alongboth legs and the hypotenuse with extended overlapping flange positionsat both ends of the hypotenuse to receive the fastening screws which arepassed through the outer edges of the door.

It is still a further object of this invention to provide enlargedclearance holes for the fasteners in extended flange positions of thelegs whereby the fasteners pass therethrough and engage in holes in theopposed extended flange portions of the hypotenuse flange. Thehypotenuse flange therefore acts as a draw-bar between the angularlyrelated door frame rails to provide a very rigid and strong connectiontherebetween.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of onecorner miter joint of a hollow frame door with the frame positionsbroken away to illustrate the draw-bar gusset of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1, lookingin the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the gusset of the instant inventionremoved from the door.

FIG. 4 is an end elevation of the gusset looking along one leg thereof;and

FIG. 5 is an end elevation thereof looking directly at the hypotenuseflange comprising the draw-bar.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION With reference to the drawings inwhich like reference characters designate like or similar partsthroughout the various views, the numeral 10 generally indicates thegusset of the present invention fixed in place in FIG. I to hold themetered joint 12, between a hollow top rail 14 and a side rail 16 of adoor, the side rails being of generally channel shaped construction.

The gusset II) includes a base plate 18 which, as seen in FIG. I and 2,lies closely adjacent to one inside face of the joined door rails 14 and16. The base plate 18 has a substantially flat body section and isgenerally right triangular in configuration. The marginal edges of thebase plate 18 are provided with integral upstanding peripheral flanges20 and 22 along both legs and an integral upstanding hypotenuse flange24. The flanges 20, 22 and 24 terminate substantially at right angles tothe base plate 18. As best illustrated in FIG. 2 the flanges 20, 22 and24 generally span the distance between the opposed inside faces 26 and28 of the door rails 16 and 14.

The base plate 18 and upstanding leg flanges 20 and 22 are formed toprovide a rounded nose 30 at the apex and both leg flanges 20 and 22include portions 32 and 34 which are lineally extended beyond thehypotenuse flange 24. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, the opposedends of the hypotenuse flange 24 are extened at 36 and 38, saidextensions 36 and 38 being contoured angularly at obtuse angles relativeto the hypotenuse flange 24 so as to overlie the respective leg portions32 and 34.

Each extended leg portion 32 and 34 of the hypotenuse flange is providedwith an enlarged clearance hole 40 and each angled hypotenuse extension36 and 38 is provided with a hole 42, aligned with the clearance hole40, for the reception of a suitable fastener such as a self-tappingscrew 44 as best seen in FIG. 1.

When a mitered comer joint between two door rails is to be joined, thegusset is placed partially in one rail and the other rail is then slidover the extending portion of the gusset and the fasteners 44 are passedthrough appropriate holes 46 in the door edges 48 and 50 of therespective rails 14 and 16, through the clearance holes 40, intoengagement with the holes 42 in the hypotenuse flange extension 36 and38. When the fasteners 44 are tightened the hypotenuse flange 24performs as a draw-bar and effectively draws the miter joint 12 rigidlytogether. As the draw-bar flange 24 substantially spans the distancebetween the opposed inside faces 26 and 28 of the rails 14 and 16, themiter is held firmly together on both sides of the rails.

A pair of spaced apart outwardly struck pads 52 and 54 may be formed inthe base plate 18 to engage the inside of the miter joint on each side28, FIG. 2, to space the base plate 18 therefrom to assist in locatingthe gusset and to provide knock-out pins. Strengthening rib 56 may beinwardly formed in the base plate 18 to add strength to the gusset.

An additional fastener such as a self tapping screw 58 is threadedthrough each of the door edges 48 and 50 and the respective leg flanges20 and 22 just inwardly of the rounded nose 30 to hold the gusset l0firmly in place.

My invention has been illustrated as applied to a gusset for use in adoor. It will however be apparent that my improved gusset is applicablefor use in any installation where it is desired to use a gusset tostrengthen or rigidify any structure.

While a preferred form of my invention has been illustrated anddescribed it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that variouschanges and modifications can be made therein without departing from itstrue spirit of the inventions as defined in the appended claims.

I claim::

1. A corner gusset for joining two angularly related corners of hollowframe doors having cooperating channel shaped rails comprising, a baseplate having a substantially flat body section of generally triangularthe hypotenuse being flanged laterally substantially at right angles tothe flat body section to form rigidifying flanges temiinatingsubstantially at right angles to the plane of the flat body section, theterminal ends of the rigidifying flange on the hypotenuse beingcontoured angularly at obtuse angles to align at its opposite ends withthe rigidifying flanges of the angularly related sides, and meansdefining aligned apertures in the obtusely angled ends of the hypotenuseflange and aligned configuration having two right angularly relatedsides portions of the rigidifying flanges of the angularly relatedsides.

1. A corner gusset for joining two angularly related corners of hollowframe doors having cooperating channel shaped rails comprising, a baseplate having a substantially flat body section of generally triangularconfiguration having two right angularly related sides and a hypotenuseto lie with the channel shaped rails, the marginal edges of theangularly related sides and the hypotenuse being flanged laterallysubstantially at right angles to the flat body section to formrigidifying flanges terminating substantially at right angles to theplane of the flat body section, the terminal ends of the rigidifyingflange on the hypotenuse being contoured angularly at obtuse angles toalign at its opposite ends with the rigidifying flanges of the angularlyrelated sides, and means defining aligned apertures in the obtuselyangled ends of the hypotenuse flange and aligned portions of therigidifying flanges of the angularly related sides.